Printing apparatus, printing system, and method

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a subunit including a plurality of installation racks in each of which a consumable member can be installed, and a main unit configured to receive supply from the consumable member installed in the subunit and perform printing. The printing apparatus acquires consumable member information including (i) color information and (ii) information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, wherein the information indicating the positional relationship includes a direction and a distance between the subunit and the consumable member, stores information, including the color information and information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, of each of the plurality of installation racks, and determines, based on the acquired consumable member information, whether the consumable member exists at a position corresponding to a predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printing apparatus including a subunit including a plurality of installation racks in each of which a consumable member can be installed, and a main unit configured to receive supply from the consumable member installed in the subunit and perform printing, comprising:
 at least one memory having stored thereon instructions; 
 at least one processor for executing the instructions to operate as: 
 an acquisition unit to acquire consumable member information including (i) color information and (ii) information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, wherein the information indicating the positional relationship includes a direction and a distance between the subunit and the consumable member; 
 a storage unit to store information, including the color information and information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, of each of the plurality of installation racks; and 
 a determination unit to determine, based on the acquired consumable member information and the stored information, whether the consumable member exists at a position corresponding to a predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination includes determining whether the consumable member exists in an area on a periphery of the subunit corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination includes determining whether the consumable member exists in the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to turn on a lighting unit provided on the consumable member,
 wherein if it is determined that the consumable member does not exist at the position corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks, the control unit controller turns on the lighting unit in a first state. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the consumable member exists at the position corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks, the consumable member is set in a state in which the consumable member is usable in the main unit. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a controller configured to turn on a lighting unit provided on the consumable member,
 wherein if the consumable member is set in the state in which the consumable member is usable in the main unit, the controller turns on the lighting unit in a second state. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executed to operate as:
 a second acquisition unit to acquire a remaining amount of the consumable member; and 
 a transmission unit to transmit the remaining amount of the consumable member acquired by the second acquisition unit to the consumable member. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein when executing processing of cutting off a power supply of the printing apparatus, the transmission unit transmits the remaining amount of the consumable member acquired by the third second acquisition unit to the consumable member. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumable member includes ink. 
     
     
       10. A method of controlling a printing unit including a subunit including a plurality of installation racks in each of which a consumable member can be installed, and a main unit configured to receive supply from the consumable member installed in the subunit and perform printing, comprising:
 acquiring consumable member information including (i) color information and (ii) information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, wherein the information indicating the positional relationship includes a direction and a distance between the subunit and the consumable member; 
 storing information, including the color information and information indicating a positional relationship between the subunit and the consumable member, of each of the plurality of installation racks; and 
 determining, based on the acquired consumable member information and the stored information, whether the consumable member exists at a position corresponding to a predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the determining includes determining whether the consumable member exists in an area on a periphery of the subunit corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the determining includes determining whether the consumable member exists in the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising turning on a lighting unit provided on the consumable member,
 wherein if it is determined that the consumable member does not exist at the position corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks, the lighting unit is turned on in a first state. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein if it is determined that the consumable member exists at the position corresponding to the predetermined installation rack of the plurality of installation racks, the consumable member is set in a state in which the consumable member is usable in the main unit. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising turning on a lighting unit provided on the consumable member,
 if the consumable member is set in the state in which the consumable member is usable in the main unit, the lighting unit is turned on in a second state. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising:
 acquiring a remaining amount of the consumable member; and 
 transmitting the remaining amount of the acquired consumable member acquired to the consumable member. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein when cutting off a power supply of the printing apparatus, transmitting the remaining amount of the acquired consumable to the consumable member. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the consumable member includes ink.